Flexible shaft.



PATENTED SEPT. 1, 1908.

G. H. GOATES. FLEXIBLE SHAFT.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 8,1906.

ITLUQTE'IZOT' Vx/fi me sses citizen of the United States, residing at forming a part of'the same, in whichflexible shaft.

v to similar parts in the different views.

' shaft, and it consistsinthe construction and shafting em odyingmy invention, and com- 9, which'fits within the hollow cylindrical niembers '2, 2%,- and 3 are so designed thatf "they may be stam ed 'or drop forged thereby spherica ti sfrAtrEs g NT OFFICE.

GEORGE E; coA rEs, or woRcEsTEa, MASSACHUSETTS.

. FLEXIBLE SHAFT.

To all whom it mag concern: Be it known that I, GEORGE H. COATES', a

Worcester, in the county of Worcester and Commonwealth of'lt'l assachusetts, have invented-a new and useful Improvement in? Flexible Shafts, of which the following. is a specification, accompanied by drawings,

Figure 1 is a side view of my improved, Fig, 2 is a central vertical section of a link used in my-improved shaft; Fi 3 is. a view of th'e spherical head, and cyl'ndrical shank and one half of 'the inclosing case of the same.

.S'milar reference letters-and figures refer My invention relates to an improved link for flexible shafts, by which I attain increased economy and ease of construction, combined withfacility in assembling the arrangement pf parts as hereinafter described and pointed out in the annexed claims.

Referringto the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 re resents a short piece of flexible prising aseries of. links each consisting of members 2,.2 and 3. The members 2 and 2 are duplicates and together form a hollow cylindricalstem 4 having at ne end a spherical socket 5, rovided on diametrically opposite sides with longitudinal s. s 6 to receive a in 7,projecting on either side of the 8, formed on one end of and preferably integral with a cylindrical shank stem 4, and is held therein by pins 10. The

in'surin a correct t between thes hank 9 and the ho OW stein formed by the duplicate members 2, 2.

In assembling the flexible shaft the shank 9 of the member 3 is first placed on one half of the member 2, as shown in Fig. ;..The otherhalf of the member2 is then placed in osition and the members of each link are fastened by the pins' 10, the spherical tip 8 of the nextadjacent link having been reviously inserted in the sphe1ical socket ormed by the members 2, 2". As the socket 5 incloses more-than half of the tip 8 it prevents the Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed June 8, 1996. Serial No. 320,918.

Patented Sept. 1, 1908.

movement of the tip 8 on the pin 7 as a center: The slots 6 also permit a rocking movement of the links op each other in a plane at right angles to their movement around the a turnin each succeeding link throughout the entire length of the shaft.

Ielaim,

1'."In a flexible shaft, a link composed of members forming a hollow cylindrical stem with a spherical socket at one end, a cylindrical shank inclosed in said hollow cylindrical stem and having a spherical tip on its projecting end opposite from said spherical socket, and transverse pins passing through said cylinr'lrical stem and said cylindrical shank.

2. In a flexible shaft, a link composed of members forming a hollow cylindrical stem with a spherical socket at one end provided with diametrically opposite openings, a cywithdrawal of the tip 8 while permitting lindrical shank inclosed in said hollow cylindrica'l stem and attached thereto, said shank openings in the spherical socket of the next link, whereby rotary movement is imparted from. one link to the next link.

3. In a flexible shaft, a link composed of {separable members forming a hollowcylinmovement isimparted from one, link to the next link.

GEORGE H. COATES.

Witnesses:

PENELOPE COMBERBAGII, RUFUs B. Fownnn 

